Electric switch



INVENTOR. HLM/v l. 6em

Diem 115 i959 A. P. CAWL ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Nov. z2, 1957 ELECTRIC SWITCH Allen P. Cawl, New Canaan, Conn., assign'or to Elec-` trolux Corporation, Greenwich, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application November 22, 1957, Serial No. 698,155 2 Claims. (Cl. 20D-67) My invention relates to electric switches and more particularly to switches of the toggle type. f

Switches of this type comprise an insulating body formed with a track and having a pair of contact plates disposed on opposite sides of the body a-t one end of the track. A contact roller is arranged to travel along this track so as to selectively complete or interrupt an electric circuit between the two contact plates. Heretofore it has been `common practice to construct the insulated body of several laminations in order that the metal fastening means, such as rivets, required to secure the contact plates to the insulating body need not pass all the way through the body, which would short circuit the switch, but need extend only through one or more of the laminations.

In accordance with my invention I employ a onepiece molded insulating body provided with a locating boss on each side thereof, each boss extending into an aperture in one of the contact plates. These bosses make it possible to use a single metal rivet to secure each plate to the body, as the boss prevents the plate from pivoting around the rivet. The insulating body is Aformed with a bore extending therethrough and through one of the bosses and a metal fastening member may be inserted through this bore for securing the contact plate which is on the side of the body opposite to that of the boss. The other contact plate is secured to the body by a metal fastening member which extends into a second bore in the insulating body which has a countersunk portion terminating underneath the lirst mentioned contact plate. In this way the contact plates may be located directly opposite each other and secured to the insulating body by metal rivets or the like without shorting the switch.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification and of which;

Fig. 1 is a side view of a switch in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view showing the opposite side of the switch shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the switch shown in the preceding figures;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view Itaken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the insulating body forming part of the switch shown in the other figures.

Referring to the drawings, reference character designates generally an L-shaped one-piece molded body of insulating material having a horizontally extending leg 12 and a vertically extending leg 14. An L-shaped frame member 16 is secured to body 10 by means of rivets 18 and 20. This frame member need not be of insulating material and preferably is of metal.

The upper surface of the horizontal leg 12 has a central ridge forming a track 22. A contact plate member 24 is secured on one side of the body 10 at one end of ICC track 22, while a similar contact plate member 26 is secured to the other side of the body 10 at the same-end of the track.

Plate member 24 is secured to the body 10 by means of a metal fastening member, specifically a rivet 28 which extends through an aperture formed in Athe plate and through a bore 30 in the body 10 which has a countersunk portion 32 at the opposite end, the head 34 of the` rivet being received in the bottom of the `countersunk portion. As shown, it is the preformed lead whichis received in the recess, but this is not essential, and the rivet could be inserted in the opposite direction. The bore 30 is in line with the contact plate 26 on the other side of the body 10, but the countersunk portion 32 provides ample spacing between the plate 26 and the head 34 of the rivet. In assembling the switch, the plate 24is secured in place before the plate 26 is assembled, thus making it possible toinsert the rivet 28 with the preformed head 34 in the countersunk portion 32 and this head may be backed up with a tool while the head is being formed on the end vof the rivet. Formed integrally with the body 10 is a boss 36 which extendsV through an opening formed in the plate 24. This boss prevents the plate 24 from pivoting about the rivet 28. Thus, a single rivet is sulicient to secure the plate to the body 10.

As is shown more particularly in Fig. 4, the body 10 is formed with a bore 38 which extends axially through the boss 36 and preferably is formed with a countersunk portion 40 extending inwardly from the outer end of the boss. A metal fastening member such as the rivet 42 has its preformed head received in the bottom of the countersunk portion 40 and extends through an aligned opening in the contact plate 26 on the opposite side of the insulating body. The latter is formed with a locating boss 43 which extends through an opening in the plate 26 so as to prevent pivoting of this plate about the rivet 42. It will be noted that the rivet 42 may be inserted from the countersunk end of the bore 38 after the plate 24 has been secured in place.

A metal contact roller 44 is arranged to travel along the track 22. This roller is rotatably carried by an insulating member 46 provided with a slot 48 at its upper end which receives a pin 50 secured to the lower end of a switch actuating arm 52 which is pivoted in the frame 16 at 54. A compression spring 56 is disposed between the member 46 and the pin 50.

The operation of this mechanism is well understood in the switch art. With the parts in the position shown in Figs-1 and 2 the contact roller 44 is in contact with both of the plates 24 and 26 and thus completes` an electric circuit between these plates. If the switch arm 52 is pivoted towards the opposite position, that is in a counterclockwise direction in Fig. l and a clockwise direction in Fig. 2, the roller -4-4 does not move until the arm 52 and the member 46 are in a substantially straight line, whereupon the member 46 rapidly moves the contact roller 44 to the other end of the track 22, which suddenly interrupts the circuit between the contact plates.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a toggle type switch having a one-piece molded insulating body and which requires only a single rivet or the like for securing each of the contact plates to this body. While -I have shown and described one or more less specific embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this has been done for purposes of illustration only and that the scope of my invention is to be determined from the appended claims.

What l claim is:

l. In a toggle switch, a body of insulating material, formed with a track, a pair of contact plates disposed on opposite sides of said body at one end of said track, a

Patented Dec. 15, 1959l 3 Y t pair of locating*bosses-extending from said body, one on each of said opposite sides, and received in apertures formed in the respective plates, said body being formed with a b ore extending therethrough and axially through one o'f v'said bosses,ametalfastening member extending'r body,theother end of said second bore'terminating-in alignment with an opening in the other contact plate, a second'metal vfastening member extending through the opening in said other plate and throngh-saidsecond bore to 'the countersunk Yportieri Vthereof for securing said second "plate to f'said' body, and a contact yToller movable along saidtracl forselectively Acompleting and interrupt ing an electric` circuit through said `contact plates.

2. 'In Va toggle fswitch, fa body of insulating material, formed-With va track, akk pair of Contact plates disposedon opposite sidessof said body at one'end ofsaid track, a pair of locating bosses extending from said body, one on each of Vsaid opposite sides, and received in apertures formed in the respective plates, said bodybeing formed with a bore extending therethrough and axially through one of said bosses, said bore having a countersunk portion extending inwardly from the end which extends through said one boss, a metal fastening member extending from the inner end of said counte'rsunk portion through the remainder of said bore and through an aligned opening the plate on the side of said body opposite from said one boss for securing the-last mentioned plate to said body, said body being formed with a second bore extending therethrough, one VAend of said second bore having a countersunk portion terminating `underneath rsaidlast mentioned plate, the other end of. said second bore termi-VV nating in alignment with an opening in the other Contact plate, a second metal fastening member extending through the opening in 'said 'other plate and through said second bore to the countersunkgportion thereof. for securing said second plate to said body, and a contact roller movable along said track for selectively completing and interrupting Van electric circuit through said contact plates,

References cited in niemeer this-patentV UNITED STATES PATENTS kGrothe Sept.24, '1935 .White Nov.Y 2, 19 37 '5451567 Great Britain June "2,1942 

